![A group of protesters calling for better treatment of Miami-Dade County’s homeless population shouted over the din coming from thumping bars and restaurants on Ocean Drive around 7 p.m. Saturday. “Rent is rising all the time. Homelessness is not a crime!” the group chanted as Drake and Rihanna songs played from South Beach bars across the street. The Miami Coalition to Advance Racial Equity held a “sleepover” protest in Lummus Park on Saturday night in solidarity with Miami-Dade’s homeless population. Their plan is to spend the night in the park, even as the outer bands of Tropical Storm Debby sent gusty winds and squalls over South Florida. Citing Miami Beach’s expected crackdown on unsheltered homeless people outdoors this month, David Peery, the executive director of the coalition, said he expects police to arrest protesters after the park closes at 10 p.m. At a news conference earlier this week, Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner said police would be enforcing the city’s anti-camping ordinance that prohibits sleeping in public. Violating the ordinance can result in a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail. Read more: Miami Beach to crack down on homeless residents sleeping outside in August Saturday night brought strong winds to Miami Beach. Lightning was popping in the sky within the first hour of the protest, and it started raining heavily around 9 p.m. Jonathan Gartrelle, a Miami Beach activist, led protesters in chants as they displayed a banner to passersby on Ocean Avenue. Some walking by took up the chants, echoing that homeless people want “housekeys, not handcuffs.” Protesters hold up a sign during a protest at Lummus Park in Miami Beach on Saturday August 3rd, 2024. Alexia Fodere for The Miami Herald Others piped up to oppose the group’s message. “Close the border!” shouted one man driving past on a golf cart. Addressing the more than a dozen people gathered to protest on Saturday evening, Peery called for an end to the “cruel” and “inhumane” treatment of homeless people in Miami Beach and throughout Miami-Dade County. “We want [people] to know that what Miami Beach is doing is outrageous,” Peery said. Peery and his organization say Miami Beach’s anti-camping ordinance criminalizes homelessness. Instead of jailing people for sleeping outside, Peery said he supports a housing-first approach that would provide unconditional, permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness. David Peery addresses demonstrators during a protest in solidarity with Miami-Dade’s homeless residents on Saturday August 3rd, 2024 in Miami Beach. Alexia Fodere for The Miami Herald Peery called the anti-camping ordinance “racist” and said it is reminiscent of Miami Beach’s history as a “sundown town.” A sundown town refers to a place where Black people were historically required to leave before nightfall or risk being arrested or threats of violence. He said policies like the anti-camping ordinance make the city “hostile to Black people and people of color.” Gartrelle said he hoped Saturday’s protest would show both locals and tourists that homelessness is a serious problem in Miami Beach. He said he hoped it would help people “get their heads out of the sand.” Miami Beach officials have defended their approach to homelessness while arrests have increased in recent months. The mayor and commissioners have framed their policies as tough-on-crime and necessary for public safety.](https://localcitybulletin.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/miamji.webp)
Around 7 p.m. Saturday, a group of protesters shouted over the noise from Ocean Drive’s bars and restaurants that they wanted better treatment for Miami-Dade County’s homeless people. “Rent keeps going up.” “Being homeless is not a crime!” the group shouted as bars across the street played Drake and Rihanna songs.
On Saturday night, the Miami Coalition to Advance Racial Equity held a “sleepover” protest in Lummus Park to show support for the homeless people in Miami-Dade County. Even though South Florida is experiencing strong winds and squalls from Tropical Storm Debby’s edges, they plan to spend the night in the park.
David Peery, the executive head of the coalition, said that he thinks protesters will be arrested after the park closes at 10 p.m. because Miami Beach is planning to crack down on homeless people who are living outside without a place to stay this month. At a news conference earlier this week, Mayor Steven Meiner of Miami Beach said that police would be following the city’s law against camping, which says that people can’t sleep in public places. If you break the law, you could get a $500 fine or spend up to 60 days in jail. Find out more: In August, Miami Beach will crack down on homeless people sleeping outside.
Miami Beach had strong winds on Saturday night. Within the first hour of the protest, lightning flashed, and around 9 p.m., it began to rain hard. An activist from Miami Beach named Jonathan Gartrelle led protesters in chants as they held up a sign on Ocean Avenue for people to see. It was said that homeless people want “housekeys, not handcuffs,” and people walking by joined in.
At a protest in Miami Beach’s Lummus Park on Saturday, August 3, 2024, people hold up a sign. Because of The Miami Herald’s Alexia Fodere Others spoke out against the group’s message. Someone in a golf cart drove by and yelled, “Close the border!” More than a dozen people showed up to protest on Saturday night, and Peery told them that the way homeless people are treated in Miami Beach and across Miami-Dade County is “cruel” and “inhumane.” Peery said, “We want people to know that what Miami Beach is doing is wrong.” Peery and his group say that Miami Beach’s law against camping makes being homeless a crime.
Peery said he doesn’t think people should go to jail for sleeping outside. Instead, he supports a housing-first method that would give homeless people permanent housing without any conditions. On Saturday, August 3, 2024, in Miami Beach, David Peery speaks to protesters at a rally in support of homeless people in Miami-Dade County. Because of The Miami Herald’s Alexia Fodere Peery said the law against camping was “racist” and reminded him of Miami Beach’s past as a “sundown town.” A “sundown town” was a place where Black people had to leave before dark or face being arrested or being threatened with violence.
He said that laws like the one that makes camping illegal make the city “hostile to Black people and people of color.” Gartrelle said he hoped that the protest on Saturday would show both locals and visitors that Miami Beach has a big problem with homeless people.
He wished people would “take their eyes off the sand.” Officials in Miami Beach have praised the way they deal with homeless people, even though the number of arrests has gone up in recent months. The mayor and commissioners have said that their rules are essential to keep the public safe and are tough on crime.